Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

from freedom to terror

Jeremiah 20:1-6 (JDV)

Jeremiah 20:1 Pashhur, son of Immer, the priest, and chief official in the temple of Yahveh, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.

Jeremiah 20:2 So Pashhur had the prophet Jeremiah beaten and put him in the stocks at the Upper Benjamin Gate in Yahveh ‘s temple.

Jeremiah 20:3 The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “Yahveh does not call you Pashhur, but Terror Is all around,

Jeremiah 20:4 because this is what Yahveh says, ‘Notice, I am about to make you a terror to both yourself and those you love. They will fall by the sword of their enemies before your very eyes. I will hand Judah over to the king of Babylon, and he will deport them to Babylon and put them to the sword.

Jeremiah 20:5 I will give away all the wealth of this city, all its products and valuables. Indeed, I will hand all the treasures of the kings of Judah over to their enemies. They will plunder them, seize them, and carry them off to Babylon.

Jeremiah 20:6 As for you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, you will go into captivity. You will go to Babylon. There you will die, and there you will be buried, you and all your friends to whom you prophesied lies.'”

from freedom to terror

The name Pashhur means free. He might have personally known Jeremiah before his call to be a prophet. Regardless, his choice to have Jeremiah arrested and beaten surely made it personal. Jeremiah’s next prophecy was directed toward him. He would go into captivity in Babylon, along with his entire family. Because he attacked the Lord’s prophet, both he and those he loved would suffer terror all around.

Are you free today? Don’t take your freedom lightly. Don’t do something that might bring harm to you and those you love. Seek the Lord’s favor, not his wrath.

Lord, give us the wisdom to proclaim your word, not to suppress it.

_________________________

Books by Jefferson Vann